Automatic firearm.



No. 802,582. PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905.

, B. MfiLLER.

AUTOMATIC FIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED snr'r'. 21, 1003.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905'.

B. MfiL-LER. AUTOMATIC FIREARM. APPLIOATIOI min snr'r. 21, 1393.

SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED sTATEs PTENT orrion.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ma, 1905.

Application filed September 21,1903. Serial No. 174,069.

arranged to slide on the barrel and with'a trigger perfectly independent of the hammer.

The firearm in question is characterized by the fact that its bolting device consists of an upper bolt carried by the barrel itself and of a lower bolt lodged in the frame, which latter bolt when the barrel has slid forward keeps the upper bolt raised behind a projecting part of the breech-block carrier with a view to locking the latter with the barrel. This upper bolt falls simultaneously with the backward sliding of the barrel in consequence of a recess or deviation at the back of the lower bolt, and so loosens the breech-block carrier, which afterward moves backward automatically.

This firearm is furthermore characterized by the fact that by the action of the trigger a searhammer is cocked, which is disengaged toward the end of the raising of the trigger, which sear-hammer when rebound ing immediately after sets the real striker free, so that the hammer can be disengaged in such a way as to insure easy firing without its being necessary any more to file the catch of the hammer, this being the best meansto entirely prevent double shots.

In the accompanying drawings the object of the invention is represented in the sample form of execution of a pistol, and shows, in Figure 1, a full view and a partial section of the same when closed with locked breech; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the same when the breech is open; Fig. 3, afull view and partial section of the same with the lower bolt let down and the breech block and barrel partially drawn out. Fig. 4 is a front view of Fig. 1 with partial section. Figs. 5 to 8 are different parts of the pistol. Fig. 9 is a section along the line A B of Fig. 3. Fig. 10 is a section along the line C l) of Fig. 6. Fig. 11 is a section along the lineE F of Fig. 7., Fig. 12 is a section along the line G H of and Figs. 15 and 16 show a side view and cross section, respectively, of the lower bolt. Fig. 17 shows the firearm represented partially and in vertical section when closed with the trigger mechanism cocked; Fig. 18, the same in the same position with the trigger mechanism disengaged; Fig. 19, the same when open with thetrigger mechanism partially cocked; Fig. 20, the same with the trigger mechanism partially disengaged. Fig. 21 is a view from above of the trigger mechanism. Figs. 22 and 23 are parts belonging to the Figs. 17 to 21. Figs. 24 to 27 show the hammer in connection with adevice allowing of its being brought to the full cock with the same hand that holds the weapon, as well as with a safety-bolt to set the hammer at safety when disengaged and drawn back, the trigger mechanism and frame with the butt beingonly partially represented. Fig. 28 is a detail in Figs. 24 to 27.

In accordance with the drawings the pistol is composed of the three following chief parts: the frame 1, the barrel 2, lodged in the same, and the breech: block carrier 3, arranged to slide on the latter and on the frame.

The frame 1 is hollow and open toward the front and above and has on its inner sides horizontallydisposed longitudinal ribs 4. to guide the barrel, as well as exterior grooves 6 to guide the breechblock carrier 3 on its raised back part, which isclosed at the rear, with the exception of an aperture, by a crosswall 5, the upper part of which serves as a stop. (Figs. 5 and 9.)

The barrel 2 is provided on its tubular front part with a block and front sight 7, Fig. 1, and on its four-cornered middlepart with upper grooves 8 to receive the breech-block carrier 3., Figs. 4 7, and 12, while on the same and on the fork-shaped rear part of the barrel, Fig. 8, lower lateral grooves 9 are provided, and on the latter there are also upper grooves 10, Figs. 7 and 11. The four-cornered part of the barrel is interrupted for the length of a longitudinal part by a recess extending from the upper side downward on both sides, by which recess the lower grooves 9 are separated, whereby lower interior edges are formed, of which those marked 11 serve as stops, Figs. 7 and 8. One of the arms of the forked end of the barrel has a longitudinal aperture 12 for the ejectionof the cartridge-cas'es. The other has on its inner side an ejecting-nose13. The barrel is so lodged in the frame that the ribs 4 of the latter enter the grooves 9 of the former. The forked arms of the barrel are connected with each other by means of a crosspiece 14.

The breech-block carrier 3 ischannel ed,

open at the bottom and on the sides, and

rests with its'lower edges on the upper edges of the frame. On its front end the breechblock carrier is provided with inner ribs 15,

which lie along in-the grooves 8 of the middle piece of thebarrel, Figs. 4 and 6, and at its back end inner longitudinal ribs 16 are likewise provided, Fig. 10, which ribs run in the upper grooves 10 of the fork-shaped bar-' rel end. Behind the guiding-ribs there is a recess 17 slanting downward toward the back, closed toward the front bya projection 18, while in the center of the breech-block carrier the breech-block 19 projects between the fork ends of the barrel, Figs. 2, 3, and 10, and in its lower part the spring-retracted fi'ring-pin 20 is lodged, While a pin 21 is guided along its upper part, which, by means of a helical'spring 22, surrounding it. is pressed against the cross wall 5 of the frame 1. The.

spring rests with its other end in a bore 23 of the breech-block. On the exterior sides of the breech-block l9arefurthermore arranged, on one hand a longitudinal groove 24 for the ejecting-nose, and on the other hand a springextracter 25, Figs. 2,3, 6, and 10. .At the back end of the breech-block carrier is a sightcut 26 and lateral shoulders 27 to draw back the ,breech-b1ock1carrier with the hand, Fig. 4.

On one side wall of the latter a recess 28 is also contrived, which, together with a recess I 29, provided on one side wall of the frame,

form a longitudinal aperture for the ejection 'of the empty cartridges, Figs. 2, 5, and 6,

the barrel, whereby the end edges 33 of the bolt-arms aremade to lie between the interior edges on the middle part of the barrelthat is to say, opposite the edges 11 of the latter. The bolt 32 is provided on the upper edgesof its arms with lower recesses or deviations 34,

with projections 35, arranged by their side, and with noses 36 extending above the latter. It is kept in its position by an angle-piece 37 movably arranged below it, which has atongue 38 projecting from the frame to draw it downward and is held fast bya flat spring 39 whenever it returns to its end positions.

In the upper part of the recess on the mid- ,so2,5s2

dle part 'ofthe barrel, si-ts loosely an upper bolt 40, embracing thesame from above, the lateral arms 41 of which, directed downward,-

are curved on the front. the 'one arm being provided with a notch 42, which receives the arm 43 of a small angle-lever 44, arranged to rotate in the front end of the recess on one side of the barrel, while the other arm 45 is directed downward and can be worked by the I nose 36 of the lower bolt, Figs. 1 and .2, in order-to obtain a sure descent of the upper bolt.

Inlthe closed position of the pistol drawn in Fig. 1 the upper bolt 40 rests with its lower arm ends 41 on the projections 35 of the lower bolt 32, whereby it 'is lifted into the recess 17 of the breech-block carrier situated above, while its front end takes its position behind the projection 18 of the same. In this way barrel 2 is locked with the breech-block carrier.-

automatic pistol'that is to say, of its locking mechanism-is as follows: In order to fire the first shot and to introduce the first cartridge to the barrel from the filled cartridge-frame. the breech-block carrier is drawn back by the hand, while the spring 22 is compressed, and

the barrel, locked with it by the raised upper bolt 40, is also carried along by the projection 18 till the upper bolt 40 leaves with its arms 41 the projections 35 of the lower bolt 32 and drops onto the lower shoulders 34 of the same. Thus the breech-block carrier is set free and is moved backward alone till the breech-block 19 has moved along over the cartridge-magazine 47 and hits against the cross-wall 5 of the frame. By means of the small lateral anglelever 44 the dropping of'the upper bolt40 has been insured, its lower arm 45 pushing during the backward movement of the barrel against the nose 36 of the fixed lower bolt 32, by which nose the rotation of the small lever 44 has been produced. Through the now automatic forward movement of the breechblock carrier caused by the reaction of spring,

22 a cartridge is moved out of the magazine by means of the breech-block 19 and held at the same time by the lateral extractor 25,

while the barrel is likewise moved forward again by the breech-block l9 pushing against of the lower bolt 32, Fig. 1.

the bore of the By working the trigger" mechanism (represented in the drawings in Figs. 17 to 23 and afterward described) the hammer 46 will spring forward, and so hit against the striker :21), by which the cartridge lodged in the cartridge-chamber will explode'--that is to say,

will be fired off. By the ensuing reaction of the powder-gases on the empty cartridge-J. m, on the block 19 of the breech-block carrier lying behind it--the latter, and the barrel locked-with it by the raised upperbolt, is thrown back.- At the same time the empty cartridge held fast by the extractor 25 is carried along and by hitting against the ejectingnose 13 is ejected by the same through the aperture 12 of the barrel-fork, as Well as through the recesses 28 and 29 of the breechblock carrier 3 and frame 1. Fig. 2, which at this moment are opposite each other and form an aperture, while at the same time hammer 46 is again drawn back by the breech-block 19. The breech block carrier is directly pushed forward once more by spring 22, and thus a new cartridge is slid into the barrel,

-while bolt 41) of the barrel, which at the backward movement of the breech-block carrier had descended. is on its forward movement again lifted once more into the recess behind projection 18. Thus the barrel is locked again with the breech-block carrier. This locking and unlocking of the barrel with the breechblock carrier will be automatically repeated before and after the firing of each shot. When the angular piece 37 is turned downward by pulling tongue 38, the lower bolt 32 can drop, leaving the recess on the barrel, so that the barrel is set free and can be drawn out of the frame toward the front, together with the breech-block carrier, Fig. 3. After that the pistol can be easily taken to pieces. The cross-piece 14 between the fork ends of the barrel, Figs. 2, 7, and 8, prevents-the hammer 46. if accidentally disengaged, from hitting against the striker 20, while the breech is not yet locked, the hammer being stopped in its motion by the cross-piece.

The trigger mechanism in the middle part of the frame 1 chiefly consists of a trigger 52, embracing with its upper fork-shaped end a pin 51, which is protected in its lower'portion by the trigger-guard 30 and is pressed forward by spring 53, placed in its lower end, which is open toward the back. The shorter arm ofthe lower end of this spring, which is bent upward, works on the lower arm of a tripping-lever 54, arranged in the trigger'and capable of oscillating, and keeps its upper arm or nose in engagement with a notch 56, contrived on the boss placed in the forkshaped end of the trigger on pin 51 of asearhammer 57, which is bent outward, Figs. 21 and 23. A sear 59 is placed between the searhammer 57 and firing-hammer 46 and rotates round plug 58, the front arm of which sear lies below the sear-hammer 57, while its rear arm, provided with the catch 60, engages nose 61,. placed laterally on the boss of the hammer 46, which nose when the hammer is drawn back, Fig. 17, lays itself against catch 60 of scar 59. Above sear 59 a flat spring 62 is arranged, the rear end .of which keeps the rear arm of the sear pressed against the nose 61 of the hammer, while its front end is placed over the sear-hammer 57 and its downward movement limited by a pin 63 to prevent said front end of the spring from moving under the sear-hammer. The hammer 46 is rotatable round pin 64 and has an extension 65 proceeding from its boss, on the forkshaped end of which a mainspring or striking-spring 66 is suspended, by which the hammer can be worked.

The mode of action of the aforedescribed trigger mechanism is as follows: In drawing back with the hand the breech-block carrier 3 the ham-mer 46 is drawn back, Fig. 19, as already mentioned, by the breech-block 19, its nose 61 placing itself then against catch 60 of sear 59, while the spring 66 is stretched, Fig. 19, whereupon the breech-block carrier- 3 is driven once more by the reaction of spring 22 toward the front, carrying a cartridge with it. If the trigger 52 is now pulled backward, spring 62 is raised that is to say, stretched,

Fig. 17by hammer 57, with the aid'of trip- 5 lever 54, in gearing with its boss by the action of spring 53. As soon as during the further backward movement of the trigger the lower arm of the trip-lever 54 hits against the inner wall of the guard 30 round the triggerlever 54 will rotate when this firing-point is passed-that is to say, on any further actuating of the trigger. Consequently the upper arm of the trip-lever or nose 55 will leave the notch 56 on sear-hammer 57, which will strike downward under the pressure of spring 62 and hit against the front arm of sear 59, in order to press the latter downward, by which'means its rear arm is raised and the nose 61 of hammer 46, under-pressure from mainspring 66, leaves the catch 60 of the sear, Fig. 20, and thus hammer 46 is disengaged, so that it springs toward the front and hits on striker 20, by which the cartridge in the cartridge-chamber 49 is brought to the explosion-pointthat is to say, the shot is fired off, Fig. 18. Through the now-ensuing reaction of the powder-gases on the empty cartridgethat is to say, on the breech-block 19, behind the samehammer 46 is again drawn back by the latter and kept fast in this position by catch 60 of sear 59, while the breechblock carrier moves once more back toward the front. In consequence of the relaxing of the pressure of the forefinger trigger 52 will return, with the aid of spring 53, to its position of repose, whereby the nose 55 of triplever 54, which joins in the movement, catches once more in the notch 56 of the boss of ham- 13. 0., reaches the firing-'point-the tripmer 57 through the action of the lower arm of spring 53. In order to fire off the second pose between the end of spring 62 and the front end of the arm of scar 59 until the next working of the trigger.

.The aforedescribed arrangement of the trigger mechanism serves to prevent double shots, it being no more necessary to file the catch of the hammer in order to insure an easy pullthat is to say, an easier firing-point. Furthermore, a device has been provided for the aforedescribed automatic firearm in order to be able to draw back the hammer with the hand holding the weapon as well as to secure the hammer when disengaged and when drawn back. For this purpose the mainspring 66, linked to hammer 46 and'reaching downward in butt 48, has an extension 67, turned upward, bending round, and-projecting at the back out of the aperture in "the cross-wall of the frame, which extension has near its rear end a hollow curve 68 and at its rear end a notch 69. Above the back end of the mainspring .extension.67 1. e., before its recess or curve 68-a rotary axle 7.0 is arranged crosswise in the frame 1, which axle is provided at its right-hand end with projecting arms 71 and 72 and at its v left-hand end with a projecting nose, the arms being outside frame 1 and arm 71 being provided on its inside with a plug 73, which can run into corresponding holes 74 on the outside of the frame. Axle 7 O has, furthermore, in its center a recess 75 lying opposite the extension 67 of the mainspring and a nose fitting into the same, Fig. 28.

In Fig. 26 the breech-block carrier 3 on the upper part of the frame and guided on its back end is partially represented. The back end of its front wall part is provided below with a small curved surface 77, which takes its place above the raised arm 72, Fig. 26.

The mode of action of the aforedescribed cooking and intercepting or safety device is the following: Through the action of the thumb of the hand holding the weapon on the back end of the spring extension 67, projecting out of the frame, the extension will slide into the interior of frame 1, whereby the mainspring 66, contrary to its action, is compressed, and with its aid the hammer 46 is turned toward the back round pin 6 till its nose 61 places itself behind the catch of sear 59, Fig-25. The arm 71 of axle 7O isthen in its lower position. The recess 75 of the axle lies, therefore, directly above extension 67, so that the latter at its displacement toward the front can freely move along under axle 70. The reverse will happen when the hammer 46 is disengaged. If the disengaged hammer is to be secured so that it cannot be drawn back any more, the axle is turned by the aid of the arm 71 .in such a way that this arm moves from the position 1 shown in Fig. 24 to position 11 of Fig. 26. The nose 76 of axle 70 places itself opposite the recess or curve 68 of the spring extension 67, so that the latter can be no more moved inward. When the hammer is drawn back and the spring extension 67 is therefore in its front position, Fig. 25, the hammer can also be secured in this position by turning axle 70 by the aid of arm 71 once more into the position II of Fig. 26, the nose 76 of the axle entering at the same time the notch 69 of the extension 67 and so holding the latter fast in this position, Fig. 27. In both positions of the hammer when the safety-arm 72 is up a displacement toward the back of the breech-block carrier 3 is rendered impossible by the raised arm 72 pressing against the curved part 77 of the breech-block carrier, Fig. 26. The disengagement of the safety device takes place in both secured positions of the hammer by a simple downward movement of arm 71 of the axle 70 from position II back to position I, whereby. nose 76 of the axle 70 is moved upward, so that the extension 67 can move once more freely to and fro through recess 7 5 of the axle 70, Figs. 24 and 25. The fasteningof arm 711,'. e., of axle 7 0in the position it occupies each time takes place through the catching of the plug 73 of arm 71 in the corresponding hole 74, Fig. 27, in the frame 1.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. An automatic firearm with sliding barrel and breech-block, means for locking the breech-block to the barrel consisting of a locking-bolt on the barrel, and a cam engaging the locking-bolt and pivotally mounted .on the frame, said'camhaving shoulders projecting into a recess in the barrel and limiting the forward movement thereof, and an anglepiecemounted in the frame under the cam and pivotally movable into position to elevate the cam into operative position or to allow the cam to fall, whereby the arm may be dismounted.

2. In a firearm, the combination with the hammer, the trigger, a sear-hammer on the trigger-pivot having a lock-notch in its hub and a spring-actuated pawl fulcrumed to the trigger and adapted to engage the aforesaid lock-notch; of a sear having arms of unequal length the shorter arm adapted to engageithe hammerandthe longer projecting into the path of the sear-hammer, and a spring having arms of unequal lengths, the shorter arm bearing on the like arm of the sear to hold it in engagement with the hammer and the longer spring-arm lying in the path of the searhammer above the same, for the purpose set forth.

3. In a firearm, the combination with the hammer, the trigger, a sear-hammer on the trigger-pivot having a lock-notch in its hub and a spring-actuated pawl fulcrumed to the trigger and adapted to engage the aforesaid lock-notch; of a sear having arms of unequal length the shorter arm adapted to engage the hammer and the longer projecting into the path of the sear-hammer, and aspring having arms of-unequal lengths, the shorter arm bearing on the like arm of the sear to hold it in engagement with the hammer and the longer spring-arm lying in the path of the sear-hammer above the same, and means to limit the downward movement of said longer arm of the spring, for the purpose set forth.

4. In an automatic firearm with sliding barrel and locked breech, a trigger mechanism with a trigger perfectly independent of the hammer and a sear-hammer pivotally mounted on the trigger-pivot and engaged by a pawl pivoted in the trigger and tripped by its engaging the trigger-guard, the free end of the sear-hammer lying below the end of a spring, whereby pressing on the trigger raises the sear-hammer and stretches the spring until the pawl is tripped and the hammer is set free and can rebound.

5. In an automatic firearm with sliding barrel and'locked breech, a trigger mechanism with a trigger perfectly independent of the hammerand a mainspring acting on the hammer arranged in the frame, said mainspring having an extension turned upward and projecting out of the rear of the frame, whereby displacing this projection by means of a thumb-pressure'on the same draws back the hammerto cocked position.

6. In an automatic firearm with the hammer placed in the frame and with amainspring actuating the same, with an extension of the spring turned upward and projecting out of the frame, a safety device to secure the hammer when disengaged and when drawn back, consisting of an axle 'rotatably arranged above the end of the extension of the spring,

capable of being actuated by an arm which carries means for holding it in. adjusted position, which axle lies crosswise in the line of displacement of the end of the spring extension and is provided with a recess for the purpose of allowing a displacement of the mainspring extension, when the hammer is cocked and when disengaged.

7. In an automatic firearm with a mainspring actuating the hammer, which spring is provided with an extension projecting out of the rear of the frame, a rotatable safety: axle with an arm which can be fastened and a recess for the spring extension, said safety cross-axle being provided with a nose projecting into said recess, and the spring extension being provided with a recess or curve, in front of which the nose of the axle can be placed during its rotation for the purpose of preventing a displacement of the spring extension and the consequent drawing back of I nose projecting into the recess of the safetyaxle and a recess before the end of the spring extension, said spring extension being providedat its end with a notch in which, when the spring extension is pushed forward, the nose of the cross-axle can enter during its rotation for the purpose of securing the hammer when drawn back.

9. In an automatic firearm with a breechblock carrier sliding on the frame and which cooks the hammer during its backward movement. a safety cross-axle with a recess and a nose projecting into the same, a mainspring extension having a recess or curve therein, the safety cross-axle having a stop-arm projecting into the line of travel of the breechblock carrier for the purpose of preventing a' displacement thereof toward the rear, and a part which may be turned to engage the recess in the spring.

10. In a breech-loading firearm having a concealed hammer, the combination with the hammer, the firing mechanism and mainspring; of means for cooking the hammer through the agency of the mainspring and a locking device to lock said means against operation and simultaneously lock the breechblock against rearward motion.

11. In a breech-loading firearm having a. concealed hammer, the combination with the hammer, the firing mechanism and mainspring; of means acting on the mainspring to lock the hammer into firing position and simultaneously lock the breech-block against rearward motion.

12. In a breech-loading firearm having sliding barrel and, breech-block and a concealed hammer adapted to be cocked by said block; the combination with the hammer, the firing mechanism and, mainspring; of means for cooking the hammer through-the agency of the mainspring and means organized to act on the mainspring and breech-block carrier to lock the hammer in its cocked position against the action of the firing mechanism or in its firing position and simultaneously therewith lock the breech-block carrier against rearward motion.

13. In a breech-loadingfirearm having sliding barrel and breech-block carrier, the latter provided with a locking-shoulder; a gravity locking-bolt loose on and straddling the barre], a cam in the path of said bolt organized to lift the same into or allow it to drop out of engagement with said locking-shoulder and means to move said cam out of the path of the bolt, whereby both barrel and breechblock carrier can be drawn out of the frame of the gun.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name i to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. V

- BERNHARD MULLER. Witnesses:

MORITZ VEITH, A. LIEBERKNECHT. 

